How Much Does a Driveway Replacement Cost? | Best Base for Asphalt Driveway
How Much Does a Driveway Replacement Cost? | How To Fix Crumbling Asphalt Driveway | Resurfacing Asphalt Driveway
Driveway Replacement Process
The driveway is a popular and often used part of the home. It’s where guests park their car, family members get in their cars to go on outings, children play with toys, and pets do their business. In all likelihoods it will have some type of damage over time from weathering or an accident.
Asphalt driveways are typically composed of three layers: a base, aggregate and the top surface.
The most common reasons for replacing your driveway are either because it is cracking or has sunken areas which can result from age, improper compaction of materials during installation or settling over time.
A professional contractor will use an infrared thermometer to detect any areas that have been heated by water seeping through the soil below.
If these soils are found to be wet, they must be removed and replaced with dry soil before anything else can happen.
This process is known as “digging out”. Once this process is complete, the old materials will need to be hauled offsite so a new base material can be put down on site in order to start anew with the new base.
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A new driveway can cost anywhere from $2,500-$7,000 depending on the size of the project.
The cost to replace a driveway is much less if it is done correctly. If you need to replace your driveway in the near future, give us a call at (888) 465-7719 to schedule an appointment for a free estimate.
Driveway Repair & Replacement of Asphalt Driveway
Driveway repair and replacement are two separate but similar concepts. Driveway repair is the process of making repairs to an existing driveway in order to make it safe and suitable for use.
A driveway might be repaired by adding a layer of asphalt or concrete, or placing a footer in the ground. Repairs are typically conducted when the surface of the asphalt is cracked, chipped, or damaged in some way that makes it no longer safe for use.
A driveway replacement isn’t something that should be taken lightly. Replacing a driveway means that all of the existing materials will be removed and replaced with new ones. This means that the foundation will need to be dug out and a new base put in place. The depth of this process depends on the size of the project.
How To Fix Crumbling Asphalt Driveway
If you have a driveway that is crumbling or cracked with gravel peaking through, it will need to be replaced.
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The first thing you can do to repair a crumbling driveway is add an asphalt topping. This will help keep the water from reaching the lower layers of concrete and rock that are chipping and flaking away. Keep in mind that this process will only last for six months or so before it needs to be redone.
A crumbling driveway may also be cracked due to settling in the foundation. This is normally caused by homeowners who don’t understand how a foundation works and have not kept up with their landscaping and upkeep.
The best way to repair a driveway with cracks and crumbling in the foundation is to have it leveled. This can be done by digging out the rest of the driveway and then replacing the old gravel with new materials.
This process may also require a layer of crushed stone or dirt, which is intended to provide more stability for the foundation. Once this is complete, an asphalt topping can be added to seal up any holes that allow water seepage.
By replacing the old driveway with a new one the job is done correctly in one session, and all of the structure problems are also corrected.
This means that you don’t have to worry about repairing your driveway again for many years to come. Driveway replacement is usually more expensive than repairs because it requires more materials and construction time.
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Resurfacing Asphalt Driveway
Resurfacing involves completely removing and replacing the top layers of asphalt, but not the underlying foundation. The existing gravel will be removed and then a new layer of asphalt put down, which will be followed by several layers of sealant.
This process is very similar to the driveway repair process described above, but is more cost effective because it doesn’t require a lot of construction time or materials.
How Much Does a New Driveway Cost?
The cost of driveway replacement can vary widely depending on size and location. Asphalt driveways are the most popular and standard driveway construction, and are typically priced between $2,500-$7,000 or $6 to $18 per square foot.
Some types of concrete driveways can be as expensive as $8,000-$10,000. These costs does include the material cost and cost of installation.
Best Base for Asphalt Driveway
The crushed gravel base should be minimum of 4 inches (more is better) under the blacktop layers and should extend beyond the edges of the driveway to stop water runoff from flowing into the base under the driveway. Water is what erodes the gravel base causing the cracking or failure of asphalt driveways.
The composition of the underlying base should be of crushed stone with jagged surfaces so when compacted by the heavy roller they compact and lock together in a strong tightly packed substructure providing strength and good water drainage.
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Aggregate subbase should be angular stone on stone contact: sand and rounded particles should be avoided as they will not interlock giving rise to weak pavement.
Grading of the driveway should set an incline to send any flow of water away from the garage, home and driveway to be spread out over the ground.
How Thick Should Base be for Asphalt Driveway?
Commercial driveways and parking lots should have a minimum of 3 inches of asphalt and 8 inches of granular base aggregate, while parking lots should have a minimum of 6 inches of granular base aggregate. Sufficient drainage soil is positioned beneath.
Residential driveways normally have a layer of asphalt between two and three inches thick, with three inches being sufficient for occasional large vehicles or heavy equipment. 6 to 8 inches of granular foundation aggregate should be laid beneath the asphalt.
Asphalt Driveway Replacement Process
New Asphalt Driveways can last 30 years or more when properly built and maintenance performed as needed.
Basically, the surface of the asphalt driveway relies upon a thick base of compacted gravel for drainage and support and a course of compacted asphalt of 2 to 4 inches thick on top of that provide a smooth surface to drive or walk upon
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Removal of the Asphalt Driveway Before Replacement
When the asphalt layer exceeds three inches in depth, heavy operational equipment will be required to remove it.
It is not a very practical solution to get some handy man or even yourself to do the removal. Really, the amount of time and expense spent trying to do it yourself is comparable to the costs involved hiring an asphalt paver to do the removal as well as the replacement. However, the time difference is drastic.
You may take several days to remove the old asphalt driveway, on the other hand, a paving contractor with their professional heavy equipment operators will do it in half a day or less.
Recycle the old Asphalt by sending it to an asphalt recycling center. The old broken asphalt is piled into trucks and removed to the recycling plant which keeps this heavy construction waste out of the landfill.
Asphalt Driveway Replacement or Redo
After removal of the asphalt layers, the compact gravel subbase should undergo remediation to form a strong stable base for the asphalt driveway. The ability for good drainage during rain events should be review and amended if necessary.
The source of most trouble plaguing driveways is water erosion. The grading remediation for any driveway replacement must provide enough slope so that water runs away from the driveway not towards it or under it.
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Another important water control measure is to make sure the home’s downspouts are pointing the flow away from the driveway not across it.
Property owners can add to positive drainage by planting water loving plants or grasses at the driveway’s edge. Shrubs or trees should not be planted near the driveway because their roots could spread-out underground and invade the driveway.
Maintenance is very important to a long-lived driveway. Cracks should be fixed quickly so water doesn’t destabilize the subbase. Sealcoating your driveway every few years will protect the pavement from UV-rays and weathering.
How Much Does a Driveway Replacement Cost?
A driveway replacement can be costly. If you’re looking to replace your driveway, it typically costs between $5-$12 per square foot of concrete drive and the cost will likely depend on factors such as how long your current concrete is in place or if you need a new foundation for the perimeter.
This means that a typical 3,000-square-foot driveway would cost anywhere from $12,000 to $18,000 depending on what other things may also need to be done.
The average homeowner pays around $16 per square foot for an asphalt driveway replacement with $1-$2 per square foot to remove the old one.
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In general, replacement involves, breaking up the old material, hauling it away, minor grading of the area and installation of the new driveway.